The power of prayer

I'd just like to start out by testifying of the power of prayer. As you all know Chio was baptized a week ago. After every baptism we have to fill out a paper with the information of the person who was baptized. It's better (and basically required) to get it done sooner than later. My companion and I thought we were so on top of things and we got the information in the computer and printed out last sunday..... and then during the week we found a couple of errors. We could not get ahold of the ward secretary to help us until yesterday so we were a little stressed (who are we kidding we were a lot stressed...... stressing out is kindof a talent my companion and I have). We then needed Chio's signature but she had to leave church early to go to work. My companion and I prayed this morning as a companionship and personally that we'd be able to find Chio and get her signature. We walked out of our apartment to go to internet this morning and Chio was there  walking across the street with her mom. It was amazing. It's something so small but prayer works. I promise it works.

The highlight of the week was saturday. We had a stake wide talent show where every ward planned and prepared a talent or a skit or something to share. The stake mission leader asked my companion and I to direct the whole thing so the dirrection was a little rough but the show turned out so good. The people here really know how to laugh and make people laugh. In our ward the young women prepared a hip hop dance. In a couple of the wards people sang and one person played the sax. Two wards took the Jaredite story and changed it up a bit. One was a musical and the other was a play on the elections that Peru is having right now. Two of the youth danced the marinera (you should look it up it's beautiful). The missionaries during the whole thing were handing out copies of the Book of Mormon. The elders in our ward even received a reference. At the end of the night we got in a taxi to go back to our area with Chio and she said she was going to get out down town.... to buy a skirt!!! My companion and I about died when she told us that. Chio is absolutely amazing and definitely a miracle for us.

I love you all and can't wait to see you!

Love, Hermana White

Chio's Baptism!

The highlight of this week was Chio. On saturday she got baptized!!! We've been working with her, crying for her and praying incredibly hard for her since the middle of January.

Everyone got involved with her baptism. There were so many people that came and our ward mission leader really put in his part the make the baptism super special. We met in the chapel and then everyone went in to the primary room to watch the baptism. Jim (our ward mission leader) really did his best to make sure that the water was warm..... and we actually had to add cold water to the font because it was scalding. Chio chose one of the young single adults in our ward to baptize her named Felix. It's his first baptism so it was really special for him. We really had to the thank the elders for helping him practice because he was really nervous.

Sunday Chio got confirmed. It was also fast and testimony meeting for us and Chio got up to share her testimony and she said that she wanted to go on a mission. She's definitely a miracle for us.

We also had a less active contact us in the park with every desire to return to church..... so that was special as well.

Our Heavenly Father really is looking our for us and looking for reasons to bless us.... we just have to put in our part.

I love you all so much!!!!

Love, Hermana White

Behold His Hands

You'll find there are times
when you feel weak and weary and tired

and you need to lean on someone else's strength

look up, not down

there's someone who can heal you

Don't give up, take hold of His loving grace

Behold His hands

take them if you're lonely

just reach out

He'll guide you where to go

Behold His hands

He's written you upon them

Every pain and every hurt He'll help you through

Behold His hands

At times it's hard

when the darkness falls in upon you

and there's no one in this world who'll understand

Just know He's there

He's felt every test and trial

and He'll help you change, have faith, He knows you can

Behold His hands

see the marks upon them

know there's hope

He's here to lift you high

Behold His hands

They're the one thing that's stable

Let Him write His name upon your heart

Behold His hands

And when the day comes

when we'll stand before our Maker

remembering all we could have but didn't do

We won't be alone

for we'll stand beside our Savior

And He'll plead our cause, He'll plead for me and you

Father,

Behold my hands

see the prints within them

Have mercy

I've already paid the price

Behold my hands

see how much you love them

You sent Thy son, they did all they could do

Behold my hands

Sorry, it's in spanish

Soy firme en la fe que tengo

Cristo es la roca

Yo puedo mover pero nunca caer

Mi testimonio es mi ancla

Estoy lleno de una esperanza

que viene por la fe

Yo se quien soy y a donde voy

Con esta luz brillare

Oro por tener la caridad

El amor perfecto

Quiero ayudar y nunca fallar

Quiero ser un buen siervo

"Dumb dog, why are you following me?"

We started out this week with a family home evening with some of the YSA and Rocio (our investigator). We watched the Restoration and when Rocio talked about the movie after she said that she really knew that it was true and also that our persistence in call her and visiting her really helped. Yay for bothering people with calls everyday! She's getting baptised this coming saturday and we're definitely excited. If you haven't noticed my companion and I have been together since January and we have yet to have a baptism. We've been working and praying so hard for Rocio. This Saturday will definitely be a great blessing for us and an even greater blessing for her.

Now on the subject of stalkers. We've had a dog that's been following us for a week now. She didn't just follow us proselyting but also howled and cried outside of our room and the pension when we wouldn't let her in. We didn't really know what to do because we tried to abandone the dog (now named Snickers) once but it somehow found its way back. Our pension has some land outside of Huancayo so we bathed the dog and sent it to the farm.... and Snickers is now the happiest dog in the world. I don't think our pension will ever forget us :)

Peruvian presidential elections were yesterday, if anyone wanted to know.

I love you all!!!!!

Love, Hermana White

The transfer that didn't happen

We all thought my companion and I were going to have transfers but after about 5 rounds of fake transfers they finally told us we were staying together. We were super surprised but hey, we'll both get to be in Rocio's baptism on the 16th and we're super good friends fo it's all good. We skype for mothers day during this transfer so you'll be able to meet my companion!

The highlight of the week was general conference. All the gringo missionaries are able to watch it in english so on saturday we were in the nursery room and yesterday we were in the kitchen. It's basically like watching your favorite tv show. One of the things I really love is the fact that the Holy Ghost answers our questions during conference. If you really listen something that someone says will always hit you in the heart.

One of the things I really loved was Elder Ballard's talk on family councils. I felt like there were a lot of things said in this conference that I'll be able to use in my future home.

I love you all!!! I hope you had an amazing april fools day, conference weekend and birthdays for Ben and Mia!!!!

Love, Hermana White